Rotary steam-engine.



A. A. WEST.

ROTARY. STEAM ENGINE. 7 APPLICATION 21mm 001'. 3, 190a.

,1,0 35 Patented 0ct'.1 7,1911.

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WITH/E8858 INVENTOH f I ugwiusAWst, AL ULWME ATTORNEY,

A. A. WEST.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 3, 1908.

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A. A. WEST.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION run) 001'. s, 1908.

1,006,035. Patented 0011121911.

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A. A. WEST.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00w. 3, a.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

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Mil/EN 'OR A 7 TOR/V5 AUGUSTUS A. WEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUeUsrus A. WEST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam- Engines,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates especially to that class of steam engines in whichthe piston rotates within the cylinder, and has for its object theprovision ofv an engine wherein the greatest efficiency of the steam employed may be acquired.

To attain the desired end, my invention consists in certain novel anduseful combinations or arrangements of parts, and peculiarities ofconstruction and operation, all of which will be hereinafter first fullydescribed, and then pointed out in. the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotary steam engineembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical, aX- ial, section of theengine. Fig. 3 is a vertical, section of a modification of the cylinderon a reduced scale wherein five pockets-are shown, and Fig. 4 is a likeview showing seven pockets. Fig. 5 is a vertical, section of the engineat right angles to the section illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is afragmentary perspective view of the rotary mechanism removed from thecylinder. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the piston. Fig. 8is a vertical, axial, sectional view of the engine with the piston andinterior rotatable parts removed from the shaft. The major portion ofthis view is taken on a central vertical line, but that part of thefigure at the upper right hand corner is taken at one side of thecenter, the side nearer the eye, to better disclose the valve structure.Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the slide valve removed from the steamchest. Fig. 10 is a vertical, cross-sectional view at line a-a of Fig.9. Fig. 11 is a like view at line 6b of Fig. 9, and Fig. 12 is a likeview at line 0-c. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal scetional view of one of theoperating connections of the slide valve above referred to. Fig. 1 1 isan enlarged, axial, section of one of the connections to the camshiftingmechanism below the engine shaft,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1908.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1911.

Serial No. 455,977.

and Fig. 15 is a like section of a connection above the engine shaft.Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the governing mechanism. Fig. 17 is avertical, longitudinal, section of the slide valve removed from thesteam chest. Fig. 18 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of the steamchest at line (Z-d of Fig. 8, and Fig. 19 is a vertical, longitudinal,sectional view of the steam chest at line e@ of Fig. 18.

Similar numerals of reference, wherever they occur, indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

1 is the base of the engine. 2 is the cylinder formed therewith orsecured thereto, as preferred. The cylinder is provided with pockets 3.In Fig. 5 three pockets are shown; in Fig. 3, five pockets, and in Fig.4, seven pockets, but it is obvious that any odd number of pockets maybe employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

4: is a packing and bearing roller located at the terminals of eachpocket 3.

5 and 6 are steam ports located in the body of the cylinder- 7 is theengine shaft journaled in the walls of cylinder 2.

8 is an annular shell or rotor which fits into the cylinder, and comesin contact with the several packing rollers 4. At 10 in the periphery ofthe shell 8 are slots located diametrically opposite to each other.

11 is a piston which is shown to be made in two spaced portions orslotted to receive the shaft 7, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The length ofthe piston is suficient to extend from the divisional point or terminalbetween two of the pockets 3 to the central or portion of maximum depthof the pocket opposite to such division, as particularly shown in Fig. 5of the drawing.

12 are bearing pieces, preferably made of Babbitt metal, held in seatsat each side of the slots 10 by springs 18.

14 are packing rings made of suitable material, held in place by bolts15 and ar ranged to rest against the outer faces of the piston 11 andsupply oil thereto.

16 are packing rollers loosely mounted on spring-arms 17 at each side ofthe piston 11, and 18 are similar rollers at the extremities of thepiston.

19 is a packing piece placed within the body of the piston 11 so as totouch the rollers 16 and 18 and supply oil in lubricating the same.

24 are springs for expanding the packing and taking up the wear.

Mounted on the shaft 7 at each side of the cylinder so as to movelongitudinally upon the shaft, are cam wheels 20 and 21, the hub 22 ofeach of these wheels has a circumferential groove 23. Opposite the ports5 and 6 in the wall of the cylinder 2 are formed recesses 25 for thereception of cutofi slide 26 having a passage 27 therethrough. The stem28 of each slide passes through a stuffing box 29 and engages a hollowarm 30 provided with rotatable sleeves 31 and 32. The construction of anarm 30 is particularly illustrated in Fig. 13. The arm is filled withoil 33 and waste 34, the necessary amount of oil to properly lubricatethe sleeves passing through perforations 35. The sleeve 32 enters thegroove in the periphery of a cam-wheel 20 or 21 and the sleeve 31 ismovable in a guide yoke 44.

Pivoted at 36 is a. lever 37 having thereon fingers 38 and 39 providedwith rotatable sleeves which enter the groove 23 in a hub 22 of a wheel20 or 21. The upper extremity of each lever 37 is connected to a bellcrank 40 pivoted on a rod 41, which rod bears at each end a toothedsegment 42 wherewit-h the free arm of the crank 40 is arranged toadjustably engage, the rod 41 passages 52 and 54 extending directlythere-.

through, the passage 51 connecting with a horizontal conduit 55 andvertical way 56, and the passage 53, with a. corresponding horizontalconduit in the opposite side of the slide 50, and .with the vertical way57. Pipe 46 communicates with a passage 58 in the steam chest. Passage59 in said chest communicates with pipes 60, which in turn communicatewith the several valves located in the recesses 25 on the left side ofthe engine, and passage 61 communicating with steam pipe 47 which inturn communicates with passage 62 to the pipes 63 on the right side ofthe engine. The stem 64 of the slide 50 is provided with a pin 65engaging a slot 66 in an arm 67 pivoted at 68. This arm is provided witha dog 69 arranged to take in the notches in a fixed segment 7 O. 71 is apin in the rod 41 which also takes in the slot 66.

The parts of the engine being in the positions shown in the drawing, andsteam admitted through pipe 46, it is carried by the pipes 60 to theports on the left side of the engine, being first admitted as indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 5. As soon as the part of the piston at the top ofsaid figure passes into the pocket at the left thereof, steam isadmitted at the rear of the piston. As the piston is free to movelongitudinally each end follows the contour of the pockets always comingclosely in contact with the bottom of the pocket while working. Asillustrated in the drawing, the cut-ofi to the right opens each exhaustvalve as the supply begins to enter at the opposite side of the piston,but if desired by moving the arm 40 at the right of the engine, upward,throwing the cam-wheel 21 outward on the shaft 7, the groove therein isbrought to a central position with relation to the arms 30 on that sideof the engine, moving the exhaust valves slightly, and as the openings27 are elongated, this slight movement does not entirely close theoutlet ports which communicate with the pipes 63 and pipe 47. The partsbeing in the position shown, by throwing the lever 67 to the right, thecamwheels are shifted by the movement of the rod 41 and the valve plate50 then directs the live steam to the ports on the right of the engine,and the exhaust escapes through the ports on the left, reversing thedirection of rotation of the shaft 7 and the parts carried thereby.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a rotary fluid engine, the combina tion with a cylinder having aplurality though uneven number of pockets, of a rotary piston operablewithin said cylinder, piston blades in said rotary piston having aplurality of springs with outwardly turned arms arranged and carried bythe end portions of the piston and side packing rollers journaled on thearms, said rollers having their outer ends cone shape and adjacent toand supporting an additional roller both ends of which are cone shapedas specified.

2. In a rotary fluid pressure engine, the combination of a piston, ofsprings having outwardly-turned arms arranged and carried by the endportions of the piston, and side packing rollers journaled on the arms.

3. In a rotary fluid pressure engine, the combination of a rotarypiston, springs having outwardly turned arms arranged and carried by theend portions of the piston blades in said rotary piston, side packingrollers journaled on the arms and a roller adjacent to the ends of saidpacking rollers and supported thereby.

4. In a rotary fluid pressure engine having a cylinder, a cylindricalshell rotatably mounted within said cylinder, a piston slidable throughsaid shell, bearing pieces between said piston blades and said shell,and

springs Within said shell operating against thereof pressed against theopposite faces said bearing pieces urging said bearing of the piston. 10pieces into close relation with said piston In testimony whereof Ihereto aflix my and said shell as specified. signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

, 5. In a rotary fluid pressure engine, a cy- AUGUSTUS A. WEST.

lindrical shell, a piston slidable through Witnesses: the shell, andresilient tubular packing fixed LOUIS F. BRAU'N, to and within theshell, with the side faces A. M. PIERCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

